CLOSED but not FORGOTTEN: Haugsjå Stop on the Arendal Line

Haugsjå Stop on the Arendal Line has never been among the world's most significant railway stations. In fact, it was never even intended to exist. In 1910, the Norwegian Parliament had to pass a special resolution to allow its construction. By that time, passengers could already take the train as far as Åmli in Agder.
From 1913, it was possible to take the train all the way up to Treungen, which was then called Tveitsund. And down to Arendal, if you lived along the railway and wanted a trip to the city.
Today, the Arendal Line stops at Nelaug Station, where travelers can board trains heading towards Stavanger or Oslo on the Sørland Line.
In the old days, and for many years after the Arendal Line opened, there were a total of 21 stations, stops, and halts along the stretch between Arendal and Nelaug. Including Arendal and Nelaug, there were 23.
All the stations and stops were staffed. Even in the small station building at Haugsjå, you could buy a ticket if you were traveling all the way to the capital, heading to Arendal to buy a new suit, or simply visiting family a few stops up or down the Arendal Line.
The railway brought bustling activity to the areas it served. From the early 1900s, it was a transportation revolution for the inland areas and even along the coast. For many, this was their first experience of traveling at the dizzying speed of 60 kilometers per hour! On top of that, you could sit peacefully and warmly while enjoying your packed lunch as houses, forests, lakes, and the Nidelva River rushed past the window.
The Friends of the Arendal Line have done an excellent job restoring the small station building, and as long as it is respected and left intact, it remains unlocked. Anyone can step inside and even stand at the ticket counter.
This film is my own journalistic creation. I, Guttorm Eskild Nilsen, am entirely independent, and the film is not sponsored by anyone.
I am a retired journalist and editor, writing crime novels and other books, and I make films, including for TV Agder.

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Beautiful...